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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary, Jay Shah on Tuesday, August 27 was elected unopposed as the next ICC Chairman, taking over the reigns from Greg Barclay in December. While the 35-year-old was elected unopposed as the new Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC), is also set to become the youngest to lead the world cricketing body with his tenure beginning from December 1, 2024.
Soon after the ICC confirmed Shah as the next ICC Chair, he extended his gratitude for making him the next Chairman. “I extend my heartfelt gratitude to ICC’s Member Boards for placing their trust in me to take over this prestigious role of the Chairman of the ICC. I want to assure you that I will do everything possible to elevate the standard of our game across the globe,” he said as quoted by the ICC.
Jay Shah makes BOLD statement on longevity of Test cricket
The BCCI Secretary also added that he stands in a “transformative era” with cricket all set to make its return at the Olympics, but emphasised that Test cricket still remains the priority. “With cricket poised to make its historic debut at the Olympics in 2028, we stand at the precipice of a transformative era. This juncture is not merely a milestone, it’s a clarion call for all of us involved in this magnificent sport. It is my privilege to lead the ICC during such an exciting period in our shared journey,” he stated.
“I would also like to work towards setting up a separate program for talent search during my tenure, and I look forward to your support in this program. While the T20 is a naturally exciting format, it is equally important that Test cricket is a priority for everyone as it forms the bedrock of our game. We must see to it that cricketers are driven to longer format and our efforts will be channelised towards this goal,” Shah added while clarifying his take on Test cricket.
Additionally, the 35-year-old also outlined his plans to support women’s and differently-abled cricket stating, “We must champion the ICC’s mission further by allocating more resources and attention to Women’s cricket and Differently-abled Cricket. Together, we can empower these essential facets of the sport, making them not just visible but vibrant and thriving.
